It's Just A Show
by Kidcomfy
Summary: 55 David is assigned to guard a production crew that is filming a tv show in the streets of N.Y.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Third Watch characters, they belong to John Wells Prod. in association with Warner Bros. television.. This story is not about any real persons. Any similarities are purely coincidental. And I have no control over who people may picture as they read this.   
  
I got this idea for a story after reading an article about Third Watch but I don't really know where it is going yet. Please read and review, and let me know if you want more.   
  
"It's Just A Show"  
  
Chapter one-"The Reward"  
  
*****[The officers are at roll call. The Lieutenant is debriefing them.]   
  
"The Chief of police is attending a fund raising dinner tonight at the convention center so lets keep the working girls away from that area. One more item...last night, number 13 on the FBI's most wanted list was found and apprehended, thanks to the sharp eye of our very own 55 David. And for that, I am giving you two a reward."  
  
"There was a reward?" Bosco asks excitedly.  
  
"No. The reward is from me." The Lieutenant says.  
  
"A day off with pay?" Faith asks hopefully.  
  
"No...I'm assigning you to a special detail." Lieu says smiling. "They're filming an episode of Third Shift in our borough. The producers have requested a few units to help guard the set because of some huge pyrotechnics that they will be using. Each precinct will be sending one unit, and I have chosen you two."  
  
"Oh man, you gotta be shitting me Lieu. You want us to baby-sit some spoiled, uppity Hollywood hot-shots?" Bosco says disgusted.  
  
"I thought you would enjoy it. But I can offer it to another unit if you..."  
  
"No! We'll do it." Faith blurts out quickly. Bosco turns his head and glares at her, and she adds quickly, "It's Emily's favorite show. Maybe I can get her some autographs."  
  
"Ok then...they have their own team that normally guards the set, you'll be reporting to a Sergeant Peterson in Red Hook."  
  
"Red hook! We're guarding the Junkyard district?" He glares at Faith again and shakes his head. "That's a bad neighborhood even during the day, and now we have to hang around there all night."  
  
"Bosco, if you don't want to do it, I'll ride with Faith." Sully offers.  
  
Bosco replies back, "Don't get your hopes up Sully, no Hollywood starlet is gonna fall for you."  
  
"No...but I hear they put out quite a spread of food on those production sets."  
  
"Yah? Well you're just gonna have to settle for your seven or eight doughnut stops. I'm riden with my partner. Besides, they may need some technical advise on some real police moves."  
  
"Real police moves? Ya mean like getting dressed as you're running in late for roll call?" Sully fires back.  
  
"Or how to turn a traffic stop into a shoot out." Davis adds.  
  
When the laughing stops, the Lieutenant continues, "They also said there's a chance that some of the units we send may get a cameo in the show. Who knows...you may get to be a star." He claps his hands together and says, "Ok, every one...keep your eyes open out there." 


	2. Lights

Chapter Two- "Lights..."  
  
*****[55 David is driving over to the set location]  
  
As Bosco drives, Faith is smiling as she fixes her hair and brushes the lint off her uniform. Bosco stares over at her. "What are you doing?"   
  
"I'm fixing myself up. We may meet some big producer or some stars. I don't want to look frumpy."  
  
"Oh please. We're gonna be standing guard in some junk filled alley rousting off drug addicts, while their dream police team graze on the buffet and keep people like you away from the stars."  
  
"I don't even know who the stars are. I've never seen the show."  
  
"There's nobody big in the show. It's about these cops, EMTs, and firemen all worken the same shift that we work."  
  
"Is it a good show?"   
  
"It's not even close to being real. There is this hotheaded cop, that is so annoying that I'd like to shoot him myself. And he has a female partner that's always maken him look stupid. He should shoot her. Oh...and of course everyone on the show is beautiful and their hair never gets messed, and they never get shot, even when they do something stupid. And then there's this..." He stops abruptly, realizing that she is staring at him funny. "What?"   
  
"How do you know all this? We work the same hours."  
  
" I have a VCR. And sometimes I catch the re-runs on A&E if we get off early enough."  
  
"I thought you didn't like the show." She says sarcastically.  
  
They arrive at the set. Red Hook is what they call Brooklyn's 'Junkyard district', because it is where the people of New York toss broken and unwanted items, ranging from beds to junk cars. It is a neighborhood of abandoned buildings and New York's 'less desirables'.   
  
Bosco pulls in and parks next to three other RMPs. They are both amazed at how the set looks. About three blocks of this filthy neighborhood, is all cleaned up, with cars parked on each side. The abandoned buildings are all freshly painted with the graffiti cleaned off. There are people milling around, eating and drinking. The store fronts have lights on and they actually look as though they are open for business. There is one working stop light and five working street lights, and it looks like a regular street anywhere else in the city. You'd never guess that twenty yards away, in every direction, are dark and dirty abandoned streets, littered with garbage, discarded junk, and strung out junkies, wandering like zombies in their underworld.   
  
There is a crew, hurrying to put up huge sets of lights before it gets dark, and moving around pieces of equipment that are different types of cameras and sound devices, mounted on cranes and other vehicles. But most of the commotion is at the far end where a crane and a crew of eight are strategically placing one wrecked vehicle on top of another. Above that, a guy is talking through a bull horn to the workers below, explaining the scene, and behind him, inside the building, the pyro experts are wiring up explosives. In the middle of this fake city, is another guy with his own bull horn, barking orders to everyone. Including Bosco. "Where the hell did that extra squad car come from? Someone move it."   
  
A guy with a clipboard approaches them and says angrily, "What the hell are you doing? Who told you to bring another car over here?"  
  
Bosco snaps back "Hey jag-off, we were told to report here. This wasn't my idea."  
  
"Who are you?" Mr. clipboard asks, placing his hands on his hips.  
  
Faith steps in to explain. "We're from the 55th. They sent us for added security. We're suppose to report to a sergeant Peterson."  
  
"Well you're in the wrong place. You need to go two blocks that way." he says pointing. "Look for the security trailer. You can't miss it. It's the one with the big star on it." His sarcasm changes to annoyed, "And don't drive on this street, we're laying out a scene here." He shakes his head as he walks away.  
  
They drive out the way they came in, and circle around to the next few blocks. It is like driving into another world. Down in the alleyways they are passing, they can see the creepy images of the homeless peeking at them from behind dumpsters, picking through the garbage, placing things in their coats and wandering through the abandoned buildings like ghosts of the people they once were.   
  
"It's sad, don't ya think?" Faith says glancing out the window.  
  
"Sad? It's pathetic. Who does that jerk think he is. He talks to me like that again and..."  
  
"Not that." She says annoyed. "I mean these people living here."  
  
Bosco barks at her, "They're losers. They let drugs take over their lives and turn them into this. And they're perfectly happy wasting away out here. This is a perfect place for them to be."  
  
"But don't you think it's sad that this production company can spend all that money, and in one day make that street look livable, but not spend a dime to help these people who really need it?"  
  
  
  
"You can't help these people. They don't want it. And if they spent the money on fixing this place up for them, they'd have it ruined in a week anyway."   
  
They drive down a few blocks and cut over one street and find themselves in another area that doesn't belong in this neighborhood. There are trailers and trucks, and people setting up tables of food. There are cops and paramedics walking around talking and laughing and you can't tell if they are real or make believe.   
  
"Do you see any actors from the show?" Faith asks Bosco.  
  
"I don't know. I told you, none of them are really famous."   
  
They pull up to the security trailer, and inside they meet sergeant Peterson. He is an older looking cop, wearing a black t-shirt and jeans with a small radio stuck in his ear like the kind the secret service wear. He is looking at a grid of the production set and pointing out locations by numbered sectors, to a group of men, some in uniform and some not. The uniformed officers are the real cops from the city, sent like 55 David was, and the others are all wearing black security t-shirts, and work for the production company.   
  
The cops are instructed to patrol one block over, to keep the 'undesirables' from wandering up to the set, and the production officers are to position themselves on the perimeter of the set in case any of them get through. Peterson seems to be a real down to earth kind of guy. He sets up the security teams like he is laying out a police blockade. He obviously was a real cop at one time. He tells the officers that they can swing by the food area before they go to their positions. They can help themselves to coffee and a snack now, and also when they go on break, but they are not allowed to talk to the actors or any of the crew. That is a policy of the production company.  
  
All the officers walk across the pavement that once was a parking lot, and head towards the table that is loaded with food. There is everything from pastries to cold cuts, fruits to nuts, and huge silver trays of pasta, salads, and vegetables. And even trays of fancy finger foods. As they walk to the table, Bosco smiles and nods at all the people he passes, and they all just glance at him and keep walking.   
  
"Theses people are rude." Bosco says.  
  
"Just keep walking. We aren't suppose to talk to them." She reminds him.   
  
He grabs her arm and says, "What did I tell ya? We are gonna be stuck over in no man's land, while all these stuck up big shots and their glorified rent a cops, mingle around in this safe little fake city they made." She tries to keep walking, but her pulls her by the arm and stops her. "Tonight, we tell Lieu that we don't want to come back here."  
  
"Bosco..."  
  
"I mean it. Get your autographs tonight. We're not doing this two nights in a row."  
  
Faith pulls her arm out of his grasp and starts heading over to the table again. She is still talking to him, not noticing that he did not continue walking with her. She is now walking and talking to no one. "You always ruin it for me. I'm enjoying not being spit on or shot at. This is a gravy detail."  
  
"Are you practicing your lines or do you really get spit on and shot at?"  
  
Faith looks up at the woman approaching her, and then back at Bosco, who is just standing and staring about eight steps behind her. "Oh...I was...I'm a real cop." She can feel her face turning red. "I thought I was talking to my partner, who is making me look stupid..." Then she adds glaring back at him, "...and pissing me off."  
  
"Are you married?" The woman asks.  
  
"Am I Married?" Faith repeats as she raises her eyebrows, "Yes...I'm married...with children." The question makes her a bit uncomfortable.  
  
The woman puts her hands on Faiths arm and says, "Most of the female cops I've met are gay."   
  
Faith is getting a bit nervous and glances down at her arm where the woman is holding her. She starts to say, "I know that every one assumes..."  
  
The woman smiles and says, "I hope you don't mind my asking, but are you married to a cop?"  
  
"A cop?...No, I'm not."  
  
"Perfect!" The woman says. "Do you think that we can sit down and talk later?"   
  
"Well...I don't know. We have to go out on patrol, you know, guard the area. And we were told not to talk to anyone, so..."  
  
"Ya know what, I'll see if I can clear you. In about an hour or so. Do you mind? I have some questions."  
  
A good looking guy approaches the woman and says, "Ya wanna go over that scene now? I have a few minutes."  
  
"Yah." she says to him, then turning back to Faith she asks, "What's your name?"  
  
"Officer Yokas, Faith Yokas."  
  
"All right then Faith, I'll see you in about an hour." Then as a second thought she adds, "My name is Polly, and this is Jay." And they shake her hand.  
  
Faith nods and tells her that she can be reached on her radio if they say it's ok. The two walk away from her and she turns her attention back to Bosco, who is still standing back staring. "Bosco, what the hell are you doing? Get over here. What's wrong with you?"  
  
He walks up to her looking like he saw a ghost. "What did they say to you?"  
  
"I think I just got hit on. Don't leave me alone around these people." She chuckles.  
  
"Seriously, what did they say?" He presses.  
  
"I'm telling you, I think that woman is trying to pick me up. She asked if I was gay. It was weird. I told her I'm not but she wants to talk to me later."  
  
"Did you ask if you can have their autographs?"  
  
Looking puzzled she says, "Why...should I have?"  
  
"They are the stars of the show." He says in disbelief. "Didn't you recognize them."  
  
"I told you, I've never seen the show. Oh man...she must have thought I was a moron. Why didn't you tell me? What were you doing any w...Bosco...you were star struck." She says laughing.  
  
"No. I wasn't." He says angrily.  
  
"You were. You saw them and you froze." She lets out a laugh, but then her expression changes to worry, "I wonder what she wants to talk to me about." She laughs again. "I love this assignment." 


	3. Camera

Chapter Three- "Camera..."  
  
*****[About an hour after getting their assignment]  
  
Bosco and Faith were assigned to sector 8, which is one block west and south from the main set with the pyrotechnics. They are sitting in their RMP still eating the food that they took from the buffet table. Faith is peeling an orange while Bosco munches on an apple. "Sully would have loved this, huh?" Faith says.  
  
"That's the only good thing about this whole ordeal, I can taunt Sully with how good the food was. What was in those rolled up things, shrimp?"  
  
"I think so. We better hurry up and finish, it'll be dark soon."  
  
"So." He says, tossing the apple core out the window.  
  
"So, we should get out and walk around. To make sure none of these freaks get over to the set. Don't ya think?"  
  
"I'm not getting out of the car. Look at that guy over there." He points up the road to a bum that is climbing into a dumpster. "Can you imagine the diseases he is carrying. He looks like he's about seventy years old. I'll bet he's in his early thirties. And look at those kids across the street. Here they all come now, just before it starts to get dark, they crawl in from the city."  
  
The sudden knock on Faith's window makes them both jump. Faith turns to see the face of an old woman looking in at them. She rolls the window down and asks her what she wants.  
  
"You got any food for my baby? My baby's hungry."  
  
The woman is carrying a doll that has only one eye, one arm and a half a head of hair. It is wrapped in a dirty blanket and she is cradling it in her arm. Faith holds up the orange, and the woman grabs it with her dirty fingers and runs away.  
  
  
  
Finally the radio crackles to life. "Sector 8...Your presence is requested back at the set."  
  
Faith says, "Isn't that us?"  
  
Bosco grabs quickly for the radio, fumbling it for a second. "55 David...I mean sector 8...10-4" Then he smiles at Faith. "I believe it's time for your date."  
  
*****[Back at the set]  
  
Bosco pulls up in front of the security trailer and a young girl walks up to the car. "My name is Pam, and I was sent to get you."  
  
They climb out of the car and Bosco says, "I'll wait for you here."  
  
"Come with me." Faith says nervously.  
  
Pam offers, "You can both come. We're going over to the make-up trailer."  
  
"Make-up trailer? No thanks...I'm good here." He folds his arms and leans against the car door.  
  
Pam leads Faith into a trailer, where Polly is sitting in a chair while some guy painstakingly paints her face with make-up. She is wearing a police uniform that looks authentic right down to the police issue boots. Even the badge looks real. Polly smiles and waves to her. "I'm glad you chose to come. I'm afraid I won't have as much time as I thought I would though. Editing killed three scenes that we shot yesterday and now we have to re-shoot them, so I have to be on the set in a little while. But, since you're here, you can come over and watch if you'd like."  
  
"Sure, that sounds interesting." Faith looks around uncomfortably.  
  
"The reason I wanted to talk to you, is that I'm trying to research my character. And so far, all the female cops I've talked to are either single, gay or they're married to a cop. I was hoping you could give me a little insight. For instance, your husband isn't a cop, neither is mine on the show...does that cause problems? Is he ok with you being a cop?"  
  
Faith feels more relaxed, now that she knows what Polly wants. "Oh God...he hates that I'm a cop. We argue about that all the time."   
  
"Great...I mean...that's the kind of thing I need to know. I also wanna know stuff like...ok...you have a male partner...do you have to try to keep up with him or does he do most of the rough stuff? Or does it piss you off if he does? That sort of thing."  
  
*****[Back at the RMP]  
  
Shortly after Faith leaves with Pam, Jay comes out of the make-up trailer, and as he walks by, Bosco says out loud, "You make cops like me look bad."  
  
"Excuse me?" Jay says turning to Bosco.  
  
"You heard me. You make us look bad." Bosco says sternly.  
  
"Hey, if you don't like the show, deputy dog ...just don't watch it." Jay says annoyed.  
  
"I didn't say I didn't like the show. But your character...you play it all wrong. You always let your partner make a fool of you. You play it off like she's a better cop than you. You make guys like me, with female partners, look bad. Like we're henpecked."  
  
"You think she makes me look foolish? Coz I've been telling the director that, but he don't agree."  
  
"God Yah. In reality...I'm the top cop in my RMP. She listens to me...she respects me. I'm the cop, she's my back up, see? She knows that I'm stronger, faster, and smarter than she is. Don't get me wrong, my partner's a good cop...but she knows her place."  
  
"So I should play it more like I'm the star and she's the supporting actress." Jay says, becoming interested in what Bosco has to say.  
  
"Exactly!" Bosco says. "For instance, my partner wanted this fluffy assignment. So I let her have her way, but I told her, one day...that's it. Tomorrow...we are back doing real police work. I drive...she rides. Unless there is a chance we have to go on foot pursuit, then she drives...I chase. She does most of the reports...I help her a little, so it don't take her all night. I hope this information helps."   
  
*****[Back in the make-up trailer]  
  
Faith is telling Polly, " I'm like the adult in charge of our RMP. My partner is like a little kid playing super cop. He always runs into a situation with out thinking. It's like how you always have to remind a child to look both ways before crossing, ya know what I mean?"  
  
Polly nods attentively. "So you're the brains behind the team. Is he more the strength?"   
  
  
  
"You don't really need strength in most situations. But...he thinks that he's faster than me...and as long as he thinks that, he does all the running, and I get to chase after the bad guys with the car. But when there's no one to chase, he wants to do all the driving. So I get chauffeured around all day, and let him deal with all the traffic. That gives me time to do the reports in the car, 'coz if he helps me do them, he screws them all up. As far as being the strength...yah I guess he's stronger than I am, but he's afraid of me when I get mad. He knows his place."   
  
Faith and Polly are talking like they are old friends. But suddenly, the trailer door opens and a guy yells in that they have fifteen minutes to be on the set, and it's as if the guy yelled 'Fire!' The make-up guy and his two assistants start hurrying around filling make up bags, then run out the door towards a van, that is now parked outside.  
  
As Faith and Polly step outside, the same scene is happening out there. There are several young people, Pam included, running towards the van, carrying outfits on hangers, duffel bags, and books that look like scripts. Everyone is rushing around except the actors. Apparently, that is what they have assistants for.  
  
Polly tells Faith that her and her partner can ride over to the set in the van, but Faith tells her they need to stay with their RMP. "Well, just follow the van to the set. I don't really know where we're going to shoot these scenes."  
  
Bosco is watching everyone rushing to the van, and he asks Faith what is going on. "They're going to film now. We have to follow the van ."  
  
"We...have to get back on patrol." Bosco says, climbing into the car.  
  
"No, we were invited to go watch." Faith says excitedly.  
  
"We can't just leave our sector."  
  
"Yah we can. Polly cleared us, she said we..."  
  
"We don't work for Polly. We have to check in with Peterson."  
  
"Bosco...since when do you worry about following orders? Lieu put us on this assignment as a reward. Enjoy yourself. I am. Now follow the van or I'm gonna drive!"  
  
Bosco follows the van through the abandoned streets, hoping that Jay didn't hear that last conversation. Then they drive into the area that he and Faith had originally driven to. They are setting up some sort of explosives now, in and around the staged car wreck. But the van drives right on by. Right up the street that Mr. Clipboard told them earlier, to stay off of. This pleases Bosco, and he makes a gesture towards the guy as he passes. They pass right through this fake city and back into the desolate area.  
  
"Where the hell are we going?" Bosco asks annoyed. "We're off the security map that Peterson had. There's no sectors here."  
  
"I don't know. Polly said they needed to re-shoot. This must be where they were yesterday."  
  
Finally, about three blocks up the street, Bosco can see a few cars and people. As they approach and park, they notice that this block has not been fixed up the way the other two areas had been. They just cleared the garbage and placed a few cars near the curb. There is a skeleton crew preparing only one camera and a few other pieces of equipment, as if this set was an after thought. Standing in the middle, is the producer.  
  
They are running over budget because of the pyrotechnics in this episode, and they are running out of time. The director explains that he decided to re-shoot one of the scenes before it gets dark, with just one camera, while they are waiting for the fire scene to be set up.   
  
Bosco looks around the area as they wait, and he mentions to Faith again, that this area was not on the security map.   
  
"Well they didn't know they were filming here earlier. They must have added it after we left."  
  
"But I don't see any one wearing black security shirts."  
  
Faith looks around. "You're right. There's none here."  
  
Bosco gets on his radio and calls in to the base. "This is sector 8 to base"  
  
"What is it sector 8?"  
  
"We are located three blocks north of sector 1 and it appears we have no other security."  
  
"That's because you are in the wrong sector. You should be..."  
  
Bosco cuts him off. "I know where sector 8 is...but we are here with the film crew and there is no security."  
  
"Sector 8...you need to get to your assigned post. You are not...I repeat NOT allowed to be following the film crews around."  
  
Bosco is getting angry. "This guy is a moron." He says to Faith.  
  
"Let me try." Talking into her radio she says, "Peterson...we are standing three blocks north of sector one, and we appear to be the only security on this set. I think you should send someone over."  
  
"Sector 8...you are in the wrong sector. You are in sector 1, with the film crew. If you don't return to your sector I am relieving you of this assignment."  
  
Faith clicks her radio off and tips her head towards Bosco. "You're right...he's a moron. He has no idea they are filming here. And ya know what? I'm not gonna miss the filming, arguing with him."   
  
The director is telling the actors how he wants to shoot this scene. "We are only going to film part of the chase. Everyone will come racing down this street and turn into that alley a block away. Since our 'perp' actor isn't here today...Polly, you just run like you're chasing him. We'll add him in later. Then I want the squad cars to come from the corner behind us, make a left in front of us, and then go up to the next block and turn right into the alley. Polly, you'll go first. Just run from this corner to that corner, turn into the alley, and stay there. The squad cars will come in shortly after you, so go in pretty far. We should get this all in one take."  
  
Jay, with the other two actors from the show, Skeet and Corey, walk around the corner behind the film crew, get into the cars, and wait for their cue for action. Polly walks over to the corner in front of the crew. The make-up people are doing some last minute touch ups on all the actors, and when they walk out of the scene, they will begin filming. What happens next is totally unexpected. 


	4. Action

Authors note: Wow...I am overwhelmed with your reviews. Thanks so much. Your take on this story really surprised me...and now...back at ya. Please keep the reviews coming.  
  
*****  
  
Chapter Four-"Action"  
  
  
  
The director takes his place, the cameras are ready, and the actors are in position. As soon as the make-up people clear the scene, the director yells "Action!"  
  
Polly starts running full speed up the sidewalk, passing a few extras that were placed there. She reaches the corner and turns, running out of sight. The camera then focuses on the other corner where the patrol cars are given the signal to go. Jay floors his car and screams around the first corner, followed closely by Skeet and Corey. They drive up one block and then make a right around the corner that Polly just ran around.   
  
Polly runs partway up the alley and stops just a few feet in front of a group of men standing by a blazer, whom she thinks are extras that were placed there. She bends down placing her hands on her knees as she tries to catch her breath. Standing up straight but still breathing hard, she puts her hands on her hips, and looks at the men in front of her and realizes that the back of the blazer is open, and on the tailgate, is a briefcase of money, a suitcase full of heroine, and one guy is holding a test tube of liquid that is testing the purity of the drug. They are all staring at her.   
  
She throws her hands up in a 'stop' gesture and says, "Aw God no...Hey...I'm not really a cop. I'm an actress." She slowly starts walking backwards. "We're filming a show. Whatever you're doing...I don't care. It's not my concern." Suddenly the air is filled with sirens, as two police cars, with lights, come screaming around the corner towards them. The guy with the test tube, hops into the back of the blazer and closes the tailgate while the man to his right runs to the drivers side and hops in, sending the blazer corkscrewing out of the alley.   
  
Two of the three that are left, run towards a car that is parked across the street. The third guy, opens his full length, black leather coat and pulls out an automatic weapon and draws on them, as he sets his stance.   
  
Polly turns and starts running towards Jay, who is watching this unfold. He is staring at the man with the long leather coat, his wavy, shoulder length hair and black goatee give him the eerie appearance of a gun slinger from the old west, except the weapon is firing at a rapid speed. Jay ducks below the dashboard, but not fast enough, as he feels his left shoulder ignite with a hot burning pain.  
  
As Polly runs, she is watching the bullet holes being pounded across the car in front of her, starting from the passenger side, across the hood to the driver's side. The windshield and Jay, both disappear from sight...then the drivers headlight...then the mirror...and then she feels the impact in her back as she is pitched forward and thrown hard to the pavement.  
  
It feels as though she was hit in the back with a baseball bat, and she struggles to get her breath. She is wearing a real bullet proof vest, but the impact knocks the wind out of her. Skeet throws his car in reverse and drives backwards out of the alley nearly running over a couple of extras.  
  
Skeet and Corey hop out of the their car hollering frantically. The crew and the director start heading towards them to see what happened. Skeet is pointing and yelling, "They shot 'em. Oh my God...get security. Those were real shots. Polly was shot. She was laying in the street."  
  
The gunmen joins the other two men in the car that they had stolen earlier. The car was hot wired, and now they can't get it started. They still believe that any minute, more cops are going to come around the corner, and they are in a panic to get out of this alley.  
  
Bosco and Faith have now realized, that what just happened, was not part of the scene. They both draw their guns and run towards the alley, yelling for the crew to get back. Faith stops with her back against the building, and peeks around it into the alley. Bosco runs up to the back of Skeet's RMP. He gets on his radio and calls in a 10-13. He looks at Faith, "What the hell am I doing? Who do I call this in to?" They look at each other frantically. "We gotta do something!"  
  
Peeking again into the alley, they see that the three men can not start their car, and they are now getting out of it, and heading towards Polly and Jay in the RMP. Bosco jumps up, pointing his gun at them. "Stop where you are!"   
  
Faith steps into the alley, also pointing her gun and yells, "You are being surrounded. You need to put your weapons down...NOW!"  
  
"DO IT!" Bosco yells, to which the three men open fire at them.  
  
Ducking back behind the building, Faith gets on the radio. "This is 55 David...we are still three blocks north of sector 1...we have a 10-13...I repeat...10-13...we need police back-up at this location and an EMS forthwith!"  
  
The men grab Polly, using her as a shield, and run to the police car. One climbs into the drivers seat, sliding Jay over to the passenger door. The other two climb into the back, pulling Polly in with them.   
  
"We can't let them leave." Bosco says desperately, peeking over the car. "They're gonna leave with hostages." After a second he says, "Go get the car. Hurry!"  
  
Bosco shoots at the tires, blowing out the two back ones, but the car still drives out of the alley.  
  
Faith runs to get the car, as Peterson calls in on the radio, asking what is going on, and insisting that there is no filming at the location they are giving. Bosco watches them drive away and turn north out of the alley. He tells Peterson to send everyone to this location, and that three armed men have taken hostages in RMP number 5649.  
  
*****[On the road]  
  
The three drug dealers, are still not aware that the two cops they have, are really actors. The driver, who's is also the gunman with the leather coat, is named Angel. He is the leader of this gang, and he tells them that they are going to drive the car to the edge of Red Hook, kill both of the cops, and leave them with the car. Then they can walk towards the city and find another car to steal. The other two guys are named Paulie and Emelio.   
  
Paulie looks at him wide eyed. "Are you kidding me? Man...we kill those cops and we're looken at the death penalty. I'm not gonna do it." He looks to Emelio for support.  
  
"I'll do it." Emelio says grinning.   
  
Angel grabs Jay by the hair and lifts his head off the passenger door and says, "We may have already killed one."  
  
Jay had felt nauseas after he was shot, and then lost consciousness. He is starting to come around. He tries to sit up, and a hot stabbing pain shoots through his shoulder, making him slump back down into the seat. Moaning, he looks around disoriented and brushes some broken glass off his face. He starts to remember what happened, and he guesses that the gunmen took his car to get away, and soon they will dump it off...along with him. He is not aware that Polly is also in the car, in the backseat.  
  
Jay hears them talking but he is still confused. He only knows that there are more than one of them. He decides the best thing to do would be to play dead, and hopefully these guys will not try to harm him more...or kill him. If he just keeps his eyes closed, they will figure he is dead, or at least, that he's unconscious and can't identify them, which...he really can't. This should be over soon. He can feel blood running down his arm but he is afraid to reach his right hand over to put pressure on the wound, afraid of what they may do if they know he is awake.  
  
He feels sick again. He is laying on the front seat, with his face against the door trying not to move, and he thinks to himself, 'what a wuss I am.' He spent nearly six days a week for the past four years playing this tough cop and here he is cowering. He thinks about the part he plays and how many times he acted the character in real life. He admits to himself that many times he's been in a situation where he drew up a little more confidence pretending to be the cop on the show, or acted a little tougher and cocky. He vows never to do that again...if he can get through this in one piece. He forces himself to stay awake so that when they leave, he can get help before he bleeds to death.  
  
Emelio can't sit still. His one leg is bouncing nervously on the ball of his foot, as he stares wide eyed out the back window. "Where the hell did the cops come from anyway? Did Gonza set us up?"  
  
"It doesn't matter, he's a dead man. He kept the money and the dope." Angel says.  
  
"And he left us there." Paulie adds.  
  
When Angel pulled out of the alley, he drove the car one block north, then turned east and turned again heading south. Without realizing it, he had doubled back behind all of the security police that are rushing north to the scene, and has made a clean getaway.  
  
It is dark out now, as Angel drives past the abandoned buildings, the walls of shattered windows and spray painted symbols. He parks the car under a bridge just on the outskirts of the 'Junkyard'. They sit in silence for a second, listening to the sirens in the distance. They sound very far away. "We did it." Angel says with a smile. "We made it."  
  
Jay feels the car come to a stop. He closes his eyes tightly and holds his breath. He never realized before, how hard it is to hold perfectly still when you're really trying to. Then he hears one of them say, 'Emelio...shoot her first' and he hears Polly's voice say 'no'. He hadn't considered that she may be in the car too.  
  
As Angel opens the door to the back of the car, Paulie scrambles out of the backseat saying, "Man this is a mistake. The cops must know who we are already. They showed up at the buy. Angel, I don't want this on me."   
  
Angel tells him angrily, "Go then. Get the hell out of here. Go get us another car. Just cross the bridge above us and you'll be back in a populated area. And hurry...the cops are all around." Paulie paces nervously, not sure if he should stay or leave.  
  
Polly is aware that they are planning to kill her. She slides back against the door, and reaches for the door handle, but like a real cop car, it doesn't open from the inside. She is trapped. She pushes back into the corner as far as she can, staring through tears at Emelio as he leans towards her in the backseat. He raises his eyebrows and says, "You shouldn't have rained on our parade." Then points the gun at her.  
  
Her voice is high pitched and hysterical, "Oh God...please...I'm not a cop. It is just a show. Please...don't. It's just a show." She is crying now and she puts her hand up to the barrel of the gun, still pleading for him not to kill her as she tries to push him away.   
  
"Hold still you bitch!" Emelio says, as he grabs her wrists in his hand and pins them against the car door. She closes her eyes as he puts the barrel near her temple, and as she screams out "No", he pulls the trigger.  
  
The shot echoes through the empty buildings. Paulie flinches and Jay jumps.   
  
Jay is shaking and breathing quickly through his mouth. He is terrified. He just heard them shoot Polly and he knows he is next. 


	5. Save Yourself

Authors note: This story took a bad turn...even I didn't see it coming. I had to change the rating. (I think) I wasn't sure, so to be safe it is now PG13. Sorry if this causes any problems for anyone. It also went from Humor, to action adventure to angst with suspense. If you're confused...put it in the review...which by the way, are greatly appreciated.   
  
Chapter Five-"Save Yourself"  
  
The reverb from the gunshot fades away into the darkness and the only sound now is Polly sobbing to the realization that she is still alive.  
  
Angel looks at Emelio and says mockingly, "How the fuck could you miss?"  
  
Emelio looks at the gun and then points it at her again. All she can do is close her eyes. She is pressed hard against the window, whimpering. He fires it a second time. "Her God damn gun isn't real." He throws it behind him and pulls his own gun from his coat.   
  
He lets go of her hands, and she brings them up to cover her head. Polly curls up against the door. She is stunned and shaking almost convulsively. She is whispering, "Please...don't kill me." She is crying and says softly, as if to herself, "It's just a show." She whispers, "I'm not a cop...it's just a show." Emelio points his own gun to her head.  
  
This time Angel tells him to wait. Jay feels someone pull him over onto his side, and pull the gun from his holster. He is too frightened to understand what is happening. Too scared to open his eyes. He is shaking and sobbing, and suddenly a gun fires...very close to him. He cringes and yells out. He opens his eyes to see that one of the men is leaning over him in the car and examining a gun. It is 'his' gun from the show, with the blanks in it. He thinks to himself 'Oh God...they are just playing with us.' His sob turns into a nervous laugh, and then he feels the car spinning and he blacks out.  
  
"It sounds real." Angel says laughing, as he looks the gun over. "They really must be actors." Then he asks Polly, "What is your name? Are you famous?" Polly doesn't answer him. She can't make out what he is saying, partly because she can't hear from the gun being fired so close, and partly because she is in shock. Emelio pulls her away from the door, and grabbing her hard by the shoulders, he shakes her back to reality, and asks her again who she is. With a shaky voice, she tells them her name and they look at each other. "I never heard of you." Angel says. "What were you filming?"  
  
Then Paulie says, a little excitedly, "I recognize her. That cop show. In the commercial she says 'New York's finest in action' then they show all those chase scenes and explosions. That's her."  
  
Angel asks, "So are they stars?" Will the show pay to get them back?"  
  
Without looking at him, Polly says half sobbing, "Yes. Of course they will." She draws a shaky breath. "They'll use it as publicity for the show...you don't have kill us. We're no threat to you."  
  
"Shit, I don't know Angel...We don't know anything about collecten ransom." Emelio says nervously.  
  
But Angel reminds him, "We're out a lot of money for that dope. We have no choice." He smacks Paulie in the head, "What the hell are you waiting for, I told you to get us another car."   
  
*****[Back at the set]  
  
Faith and Bosco are searching the area in their RMP. Bosco is barking instructions over his radio to Peterson and the other security officers. Faith has switched the car radio back to the real police frequency and is giving instructions to the 55 precinct. A helicopter is being sent up to look for the fake squad car. And soon, most of the city is looking for them. 55 David search the area in an uncomfortable silence.  
  
After a while Bosco asks, "Faith are you ok?"  
  
She looks over at him with a pained expression. "How could I let this happen?"  
  
"Oh don't even go there. This was not our fault."  
  
"Bos...we were the only security at the scene. I should have listened to you. I wasn't doing my job. I was so wrapped up in the excitement of the filming and meeting the stars, that I forgot what I was really there for."  
  
"That 'is' what you were there for...remember? We were being rewarded with an easy assignment. We were not there to be cops. They weren't suppose to 'need' cops. Not with the security that they are paying for." He looks over at her. "This was not our fault. Peterson screwed up. We tried to warn him."  
  
"That don't make it any better. I really like Polly. I feel responsible. I want them to be alright."  
  
"Yah, I know...I do too. We'll find them...we will."   
  
The police and detectives have arrived at the set. Peterson is explaining to the police that they were guarding the perimeter of the other set with the explosives. No one informed them that filming would take place three blocks up the street. The director is on the phone explaining to the producers that two of their stars have been abducted and shot, and may even be dead. One detective is getting a description of the drug dealers and their car from Skeet and Corey and another is watching the film that was shot, of Polly and the cars going into the alley.  
  
Unfortunately, none of the alley was in view on the film. Skeet and Corey drove out so fast that they didn't see anything. And the producers are worrying about the future of the show. The ratings have been going down, and the studio has been threatening to cancel them. If the stars are dead, would it be in poor taste to add it to the show and kill them off? Would that boost the ratings? Will the studio just cancel if the stars are gone? How can they use this to their advantage?  
  
*****[Still under the bridge]  
  
Angel and Emelio are waiting nervously for Paulie to return. Jay is quiet except for an occasional moan, and Polly is sitting in the back seat, shivering from shock, and staring blankly out the window.   
  
"What are we gonna do when Paulie gets back?" Emelio asks. "Where are we gonna take them?"  
  
"I've been thinking about that. We can't go back to any of our places. Our finger prints are all over that car we left back there. And you can bet they're gonna be looking hard for us now. I know a motel near here. It has rooms in back, off the street so no one will see the car. And there's always yelling and screaming coming from the rooms, so no one will question it if these two make noise."  
  
Emelio looks over at Polly. "She's pretty quiet." He slides closer to her and eyes her up and down. Her eyes dart over at him as she leans closer to the door. She wraps her arms tighter around herself and scrunches down lower in the seat. He reaches towards her and grabs her badge. "Damn...this looks real." He unpins it from her coat and pockets it. She stares out the window as if ignoring him will make him go away.  
  
He reaches his hand towards her face and she turns farther away from him. She can feel the tears coming to her eyes. Instead he removes the clip from her hair, and fluffs her hair down over her shoulders. He grabs her chin and makes her turn back towards him. "That's a better look for you." He turns to Angel. "Don't you think so?" Angel grunts in agreement. "Ya know...I've never screwed a movie star. Have you Angel?"  
  
"Not yet." Angel laughs.  
  
Emelio leans his face close to hers and smells her hair. She is breathing in small sobs now. He licks her cheek and says, "Tonight, we're gonna have a romantic evening...you and us."   
  
He leans against her and his hand slides over her arms and down her stomach. She puts her hands against his chest and pushes him away. And as he backs away, he holds up the hand cuffs that he just unclipped from her belt. Dangling them in her face he says, "We'll need these later."   
  
"Someone's comen." Angel says, sitting up and drawing his gun.   
  
A van pulls up next to them, and Paulie rolls down the window. They usher their hostages into the van and head over to the motel.   
  
*****[Back to 55 David]  
  
The search in Red Hook is getting frustrating. The place is crawling with cops and they are running into police cars at every turn. "Damn it Bosco. They're not here any more. The whole force is in here looking. They've left. We're wasting time."  
  
The radio barks out the news that the squad car has been found on the outskirts of Red Hook. But there was no one in it, and they found blood in the front seat.  
  
Bosco looks at Faith. "You were right. They left the junkyard." He pounds on the steering wheel. "Shit! They could be any where."  
  
Then Faith gets an idea. "Bos...if they abandoned the car, they'd need another ride. The car they left behind was hot wired. Check and see if there are any stolen car reports. If there are, we can search for that...maybe get lucky."  
  
They call in to central, and find out there was a stolen vehicle reported in that area, less than an hour ago. It was a '95' van, stolen from a bar nearby. Bosco puts out an APB that the van may be connected with the hostage situation. Then they just start driving around desperately, combing the area in search of the car.  
  
*****[Angel checks them into the motel]  
  
Jay is floating in and out of consciousness and is vaguely aware that he is being walked somewhere. He is set hard against a wall and he feels someone help him slide down to the floor. He tries to clear his head. He strains to focus his eyes and he sees Polly. She is trying to revive him.   
  
Angel tells Emelio to go out and get them some food, and he tells Polly to take care of Jay's wound so he don't die before they get their money. Paulie gets her some towels as she removes his coat and police shirt. Her back is starting to really ache. She had forgotten that she was shot in the back and didn't consider the fact that she may be injured from it. Jay is barely conscious and in a lot of pain. His shirt is caked with blood, some of it hard and dry already. That's a good sign. It appears that the bleeding had stopped a while ago.   
  
Polly tries to make him comfortable, and talks to him reassuringly, that he's going to be  
  
ok. He is just as scared as she is, telling her that he don't want to die. Her hands are shaking as she wipes the blood off of him. His wound doesn't look too bad now that she has it cleaned it up, but he is in obvious pain, as he clutches her arm, moaning.   
  
This whole thing feels surreal. This is the sort of thing they do on the show, and even now it feels like the show, as Polly tries to remember what first aide she was instructed to do in the scenes they have filmed. And at the same time this doesn't feel like the show at all. Like the fear that she is feeling, that she realizes now, she never truly felt in the scene. The shaking hands that she can't control. The tears that she didn't even realize she was crying.   
  
Jay cringes in pain. "Polly...it hurts. God. I need to get to a hospital." Tears roll down his cheeks as he squeezes her arm harder.   
  
"It's alright. You're gonna be alright." She wipes his tears gently with her thumbs as she cradles his face. "You just need to hold on a little longer. The police should be here soon."   
  
She tries not to think about what will happen if they aren't...when Emelio gets back. And she just holds on to him, hoping that will be enough. Because she knows in her heart that there is no help for her here.   
  
****[55 David]  
  
The two officers drive slowly through the area, looking for the stolen van. They drive into every parking lot, behind buildings, everywhere that a stolen vehicle could be hidden. They drive into every hotel and motel they encounter, searching the parking lots. Other than an occasional, "Over there...pull in there.", they drive in silence.  
  
Bosco keeps going over in his head, what should he have done differently. He should have dropped them the minute they got out of their car. Before they got to Polly. He should have tried harder to tell Peterson there was a security risk there. He should have made the producer wait until they checked the location for possible dangers. Maybe they should have taken the RMP that he was crouched behind when they were shooting at him. He could have chased them, and with the back tires flat, he could have caught the bastards. He growls out loud as he runs his hand through his hair.  
  
Faith looks over at him, then glances back out her window. He is getting frustrated. It's all her fault. She feels tears coming to her eyes but she blinks them away quickly and wipes her eyes hard with her fingers. She is angry, no...embarrassed. She keeps playing over in her mind, Bosco saying "We have to check in with Peterson." And her telling him..."Since when do you follow orders...have some fun...I am." She thinks to herself, 'What an ass I am, getting all wrapped up in the excitement of it all...feeling special for being the one singled out by the star of the show. I should have been more professional.' She says out loud, "God damn it."  
  
Bosco glances over at her, but says nothing. He can tell that she too, is wrestling with her own demons.   
  
The radio pierces the eerie silence in 55 David's RMP. "63 Adam to central...we have a visual on the stolen vehicle wanted in connection with the hostage situation...heading west on Lexington...requesting instructions."   
  
*****[Back at the motel]  
  
Emelio returns with three bags of McDonalds food. As the three men eat, they discuss different plans to collect the ransom. They are arguing. They can't decide how to make the exchange, who will make the exchange, or even how much to ask for.  
  
Polly is sitting on the floor with Jay. The ache in her back has become a pain reaching through to her chest as she breathes. Jay is sleeping against her shoulder, and she has her arms around him. Selfishly, she thinks...he should be doing this for her. She wants someone to be holding her...reassuring her that she is going to be ok. How did it come to this? How do real cops deal with this shit everyday? If she was a real cop...she'd be dead.   
  
The men devour the food quickly. Emelio reaches into a bag and grabs two cold french-fries from it, then crinkles the bag up. He stands and pats his belly and says, "Well...now I'm gonna have me some movie star for dessert."  
  
Jay is dreaming that he has been injured and is being handled roughly by doctors and nurses in emergency. He is trying to tell them he is in pain, but he can't speak. Suddenly he wakes to find Polly shaking him. Her eyes are red and her face is wet with tears and she is talking really soft.  
  
"Jay...please...wake up. Oh God. You gotta help me. Please...stay with me. Suddenly she is yanked away from him and he hears her cry out, "Please...don't. Please." Then a scream, and "Please...don't hurt me."  
  
Emelio and Paulie each grab her by an arm and drag her towards the bed. She is kicking and trying to squirm out of their grasp in spite of the pain she is feeling. She pulls away, falling to the floor and tries to curl up, as they try to get a hold on her again.   
  
"Leave me alone...please." She screams again.  
  
Paulie grabs her hair and holds her head to the floor as Emelio grabs the collar of her coat and rips it down her back and pulls it off of her. She is pleading with them to stop. They pick her up by her arms, and pull her backwards onto the bed, and as they hold her arms down, Angel cuffs her wrists to the bed post.   
  
Jay tries to move but his arms feel like lead. He has lost too much blood. He can hear Polly screaming and struggling. Her voice is high pitched and shrill. He has never heard anyone sound like that before. He hears the terror in her voice. He and Polly have been good friends since they met on the show, and he wants desperately to help her, but he is in such pain and so weak. And if they turn on him instead, they could kill him with no effort at all. He is afraid...and ashamed.  
  
Angel and Paulie hold her legs down and Emelio tears her police shirt off. She is struggling against the handcuffs, that are cutting into her wrists. She is still trying to kick her legs free but she feels her energy exhausting. Emelio rips open the Velcro and removes her bullet proof vest.   
  
"Jesus Christ, she is wearing so many layers of clothes. Look Angel...no wonder cops all look big. She has another whole outfit on." He laughs like a kid opening up a gift. "You are making this suspenseful."  
  
She is crying hard now and the tears stream down her face as she feels his weight move off of her hips and down onto her legs. "Please...don't do this." She screams, "Get off me!"  
  
He unbuckles her belt. She is screaming harder now, and Angel tells him to shut her up. Emelio slides forward and straddles her stomach, making it hurt even more for her to squeeze out enough breath to scream. But she does scream...as hard as she can.  
  
Jay squeezes his eyes closed, and tears run down his face. It is killing him to listen to what they are doing to her. Polly's scream is suddenly cut short by the sound of a fist hitting flesh. He can hear them beating her and she is crying...and then she calls his name out. She calls for him to help her.  
  
He yells her name back. His emotions finally overcome his fear and he starts yelling for them to stop and to leave her alone. And then he just plain yells 'help' on her behalf. He can see the blurry image of one of them coming towards him and he prepares to be hit, but then suddenly...the door slams open.   
  
The room fills with cops, Guns drawn, yelling angrily at the top of their lungs to 'Get on the floor!'...'Face down!'...'Get your hands on your head!' 'Do it now!'.  
  
Paulie, leaps off the bed. He throws his hands up over his head and then drops to the floor, screaming "Don't shoot...ok...ok. Don't shoot." as an officer places a gun to his head.  
  
  
  
Angel, who was standing over Jay, looks towards the door, pulling a gun from his belt. Bosco yells "Don't!" but Angel continues to turn and draw. Bosco unloads his gun, striking him in the chest five times.  
  
Emelio, who was on top of Polly, rises up to his knees, and doesn't have time to do anything more. Faith runs at him. She lets her gun drop to the floor as she grabs him by the back of his shirt with both hands, pulling him backwards off the bed, yelling, "Get off of her!" She turns him, as she pulls him back, slamming him face first onto the table. Blood sprays onto the table from his nose and mouth, and she drags his face through it, as she slams him to the ground, jamming her knee in his back. She is filled with so much rage that it scares her.  
  
"You son of a bitch.", she yells out in anger. She sees her gun on the floor next to him. She grabs it and jabs it hard into his temple. Her hand is shaking. Almost immediately, another hand grabs her wrist.   
  
"Yokas...that's enough. We got him. That's enough." The cop that grabbed her wrist, takes the gun out of her hand, and a second cop grabs her left arm and together they stand her up, and push her back away from him. She stands there for a second, breathing hard. Trying to calm herself down. Shocked at the rage she is feeling.   
  
Faith glances over at Bosco, who is tending to Jay. They share an understanding look, that for their own reasons, they each took this very personal. She goes over to Polly and un-cuffs her from the bed, comforting her that she's going to be alright. She tells her that it's all over now. Then there is a loud commotion at the door, and as EMS enters, they can see lights flashing outside. The press has arrived.   
  
Faith looks at Bosco, "If any of them get in here...you shoot them too."  
  
"You got it." He grins at her, mostly out of relief that this ended as well as it did.  
  
~ "Check the Gate" ~  
  
* Thanks for the set lingo Sarah...and thanks to everyone who gave reviews*  
  
8 


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